"I didn't ask to be born," he hissed. "I had no say in the matter!"

I couldn't help it, I laughed.

"You're laughing?" Darcy snapped. "You think us being snowed in together is funny?"

I continued to laugh as I shook my head and said, "No, but if I don't laugh, I'll scream or cry... is that what you want?"

Einstein shouted from the kitchen, "Fuck off, Neala!"

I glared at Darcy.

He winced. "No, I don't want you to scream or cry. Panicking is the last thing we need to do."

I nodded my head. "Exactly, so sit down and shut up. We'll think better in silence."

Surprising, Darcy did as told and sat down on the other end of the couch.

I looked at him, and quickly looked away. "Darcy, put some clothes on.... You'll get sick."

It sounded like I cared about his well being, but I didn't. I just didn't want to stare at his body any longer because he was surprisingly very well built and I was definitely noticing.

Who knew Darcy had a six-pack?

"And a V line," I muttered aloud.

I felt Darcy look at me. "Did you just say something about me V line?"

Shite.

"No," I laughed. "I didn't even notice you had one."

I felt Darcy's smirk as I spoke the white lie, and it irked me.

I hated lying, but what got on my nerves even more at that very moment was that I knew Darcy caught me looking at his body a few times, and I hated myself for it. I both hated that I was caught, and that I looked in the first place.

"I don't know why you're smirking, but knock it off."

Darcy adjusted himself on the couch so he was now turned to face me. "Nah, let's talk about you liking my incredibly ripped body."

Oh, here we go.

"Let's not," I said then snickered. "I wouldn't say you're ripped either."

"I thought you didn't check me body out?" Darcy questioned.

"I didn't."

"Then how do you know if I'm ripped or not?" Darcy asked, sporting a shit eating grin.

Well... crap.

"Shut up, Darcy," I muttered.

Darcy cackled, "Not a snowballs chance in Hell, Neala Girl. I don't get the opportunity to tease you over liking me body every day so I'm going to enjoy this."

I scowled. "You're a real moron, you know that?"

I looked at Darcy and became infuriated when I noticed he was nodding his head.

"I hate when you do that," I hissed.

Darcy grinned. "Do what?"

"Agree with me when I'm trying to insult you."

He snickered, "Not an insult if it's true, but yeah, I mostly agree because you get this look on your face like you're going to bite me or something."

I snorted, "And you think that's funny? Poking the lioness when she's angry?"

Darcy winked. "I'm sure if you came at me I could handle you."

Oh, really?

"In the last week I've come at you twice, and I recall I've done well both times."

"Yeah, but both times my back was turned so that doesn't count," he said and kept direct eye contact with me.

He was enticing me to come at him now that we were facing each other, and I could tell he was trying to make me uncomfortable, so I decided to flip the situation on him.

I batted my eyelashes. "Darcy, are you flirting with me?"

He blinked, then swallowed, and shook his head indicating he wasn't.

I leaned in closer. "Sounds to me like you are... Do you want me to come at you now while we're facing one another? It might be bit dangerous though, you have so little clothing on after all... What if I scratch you? The thin fabric on those trousers of yours won't protect you."

Darcy's jaw dropped open, and I couldn't contain the belly-rumbling laugh that escaped my mouth.

"Gotcha."

Darcy scowled. "Don't do that, I really thought you were about to try something on with me."

I cackled, "Darcy, you're the last man on Earth I would ever have sex with."

That wasn't a complete lie.

I'd have sex with Darcy if his mouth was sewed shut.

Darcy reared back at my jab like I slapped him.

"Yeah? Well, that's a shame. I know no lad in the village has touched second base with you let alone pull off a home run so if not me, who would you lose your virginity too?"

It was my turn pull back and stare at him.

He did not just say that.

"I'm not a virgin, Darcy," I lied.

I wanted to kick myself because for someone who hated lying so much I seemed to be doing plenty of it, but this time it was to hide something personal so it didn't mean anything. I mean, I was a virgin, but how the hell did Darcy know that?

Did I have it stamped on my forehead or something?

"Yes, you are," Darcy argued.

What the hell?

"Go ahead, tell me how you came to that conclusion. I've apparently got nothing but time here with you, so ahead," I said and made a big deal out of getting comfortable.

Darcy looked at me, really looked at me and shook his head.

"Never mind."

He went to stand up, but I grabbed his wrist and held him put.

"No, tell me."

Darcy, again, shook his head. "Drop it, Neala."

He was being serious now, there was no trace of a smile on his face.

"No. Tell me."

Darcy growled, "You don't want me to, trust me."

What did that mean?

"Darcy, will you just tell me?"

He shook off my hold on him, and dropped his head to look at the ground. "Fine," he grunted. "Do you remember when we were sixteen, and Laura Stokes had her eighteenth birthday party down in O'Leary's pub, but it went on to the early hours and we all went back to her house?"

I swallowed. I did remember that party. Laura Stokes, was, and still is, Darcy's fuck buddy or secret girlfriend. She was something along those lines, but I knew her too because we grew up in the same small village so attending any party invites from her were the norm. That particular party was different though. Very different.

I don't think I could ever forget that night even if I tried.

"Yeah, I remember. What about it?" I muttered.

Darcy swallowed then said, "It was around two in the morning, and Sean asked me to go check on you. You told him you were going to the bathroom before we took you home, but you were taking your time. He figured you were off somewhere in the house with Jess and Sarah drinking and shite like that."

I sat in silence as he spoke.

He lightly laughed, "I thought you were off somewhere in the house and that you just didn't want to be near me. But to appease your brother I went upstairs to check on you, and I heard you inside the bathroom... I heard him too."

I froze in my seat.

"W-what?" I whispered.

"I know, Neala," he replied, his voice barely audible.

Oh, my God.

He knew?

That was the worst night of my life, my only secret and Darcy knew about it?

"I heard you laughing, then slurring so I knew you somehow got some drinks into you," Darcy said then balled his hands into fists. "I heard Trevor Nash, the fucking wanker, telling you to give him head, and then I heard you do it. I wanted to stop you, but I knew it was your mistake to make and if I intervened, you would have just hated me even more than you already did."

He sat back then and leaned his head back on the couch.